Wednesday, August 28, 2024
Disabled crime victims 'fobbed off' as trust in police falls
The paper says that one wheelchair user told the survey a police officer asked them why they did not have “someone looking after” them to stop crimes happening to them, while Baroness Newlove, in her report, said the findings were “particularly concerning when you consider disabled people are 57% more likely than non-disabled people to be a victim of headline crime”:
The survey asked more than 3,000 victims across England and Wales about their experiences with police, the Crown Prosecution Service, the courts, and victim services.
Victims spoke about being “fobbed off” by police and less than a fifth were aware of their victims’ rights and support services available. Others raised concerns about discrimination, with some saying they weren’t taken seriously when reporting hate crimes.
Baroness Newlove said the “disappointment” of disabled victims “is entirely understandable”. “It seems agencies fail to make the adjustments necessary for a disabled victim to be heard and have their story accurately captured,” she told the Mirror. “Who you are should – and must – not dictate the treatment and support you receive – or your chances at justice.
She said the survey must be “a major wake-up call” for those in Government that “rebuilding victims’ trust in the criminal justice system must be an absolute priority”. “A justice system that leaves victims feeling unsupported will only add to the trauma of the crime and drive disillusionment, with victims and witnesses simply walking away. So, let’s be clear: victims deserve better,” she added.
THe Minister for Safeguarding is quite right when she says that too many victims of crime have been failed by the criminal justice system. Trust is broken and it is vital the entire system improves to regain public confidence. Let's hope she starts to put it right.
